GQ+A: Colin Kaepernick, Most Stylish 49er and Future Mayor of San Francisco?

This isn't how Colin Kaepernick wanted to spend Super Bowl week—he'd trade party-hopping across Manhattan for playbooks, practices, and a 1am curfew in a heartbeat. But after coming up a fingernail short against the Seattle Seahawks (seriously, one more inch on his last pass in the NFC title game and it'd be Russell Wilson here in New York trying to smile through his disappointment) the San Francisco 49ers supremely confident, multi-dimensional young quarterback is doing his best to enjoy his first Super Bowl week as a spectator. But he's drawing the line at the game itself. He's blowing town before it begins, and if he's to be believed, you'll know the outcome long before he does.

How many minutes of this year’s Super Bowl are you going to watch? Zero? Sixty? Or somewhere in between?

The Jaguar campaign you’ve been a part of is all about villains, but I don’t think of you as a villain. What’s the most super-villain-y thing about Colin Kaepernick?

That’s a good question. I would say a little bit of the mental warfare I play with defenses. Whether it’s just saying little things after a play to get them thinking or doing things before the play to mess with their mind.

Give me an example.

You might say something as subtle as: “Is that as hard as you hit?” Something so they think, “Did you just say that to me?” Just to throw them off a little bit.

Well, speaking of psychology, did you know in advance that you were going to do Cam Newton’s celebration when you scored?

Yes. When I saw the pictures of their safety doing my move when we played them the first time. I’m good friends with Cam so it wasn’t a hard feelings type of thing. It was more: your safety tried to steal mine so I’m going to steal yours.

The other sponsorship you do is with Beats—I know there’s a song in the commercial, but if it were real life, what would actually be playing when you’re getting off the bus?

When I’m actually getting off the bus I still have my gospel playing. That’s the way-to-the-game kind of music. Once I get into the locker room I turn on stuff to get me hyped up. Mainly it’s a lot of rap music.

What was playing before the Seahawks game?

My normal playlist. I have one that I made towards the end of the season. It’s called “My Time.”

So let’s talk a little bit about style here. Are you the most stylish 49er?

I’d say I have to be up there.

Who else is up there?

I know Vernon [Davis] does a lot with style. And Dante Whitner does a lot with style. I would say those are probably the top three.

Can we put coach Harbaugh on the least fashionable 49er list?

Yeah. I think I’ve seen him in my three years, maybe five times not wearing khakis and the black pullover.

There’s been a lot of teasing about his Walmart slacks. Does he get teased enough about the slacks, or not enough?

When you know him, you’re like, that’s just him. But when you first meet him, it’s like “Do you have anything else in your closet?” His response is: “Well, I save at least twenty minutes a day because I don’t have to pick my clothes out. I just pull a pair out, and I go.” I guess there’s some logic to it, but would it be my choice? No.

So who is the coolest person you’ve ever Kaepernick’ed with?

Michelle Obama. Hands down.

That was a quick, definitive answer. Did she know what she was doing or did you have to explain it to her?

She had heard of it so I just had to show her what it was. That was pretty awesome that she did it with me. I was like, uhhh, I don’t know, this is the First Lady, should I ask her? But she was great, very easy going, which made it a lot easier to ask.

Ok, hypothetical race for the mayor of San Francisco. I want to know who wins: you, Steph Curry, or Buster Posey?

I can’t go against myself.

You think you’re going to win?

Yes.

As the most popular athlete in San Francisco you’re going to win?

I’m not saying all that, but I’m saying I’m going to find a way to win.

Your first act as mayor of San Francisco would be what?

I would say better entry into the stadium. Right now it’s like one road in, one road out.

What got you more razzed by your teammates, the GQ cover or the nude ESPN cover?

The ESPN cover. It came on very quickly as far as comments and people messing with it. I mean, it was all in good fun. But the GQ cover comes up when they think I’m acting fancy. “Sorrrrry, I’m not on the cover of GQ.” [Throws hands up in air; tilts head.] I get a lot of those.

Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (effective 1/4/2014) and Privacy Policy (effective 1/4/2014). GQ may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with prior written permission of Condé Nast.